How Hard is the Water in Tampa?
Hard water is just a fact of life for anyone who lives in or near Tampa, Florida. Though not harmful to human health, hard water can give rise to a whole host of problems in the house. These include stained glasses and silverware, limescale buildup, skin irritation, and premature appliance breakdown, to name just a few. To combat these issues, many Tampa area homeowners choose to have a water softener installed. A water softener is a device that eliminates, or at least significantly reduces, the amount of hardness minerals that are present in water that passes through it.
Just how hard is the water in Tampa, exactly? According to the city, regional water hardness actually fluctuates in response to rainfall accumulation. It is lower during periods of heavy rain and higher during the dry season and droughts. Water in the Hillsborough River – the city’s main water supply – contains hardness minerals to the tune of 140 to 300 parts per million, or 8 to 17 grains per gallon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a fact-finding government agency, water is “hard” at mineral concentrations above 120 parts per million.
Hard Water Facts
The following is additional information about hard water and how it can affect your Tampa area household:
- Excessive mineral content in water can be damaging to plumbing and can make certain appliances costlier to operate.
- Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis can be exacerbated by water hardness.
- Hard water can adversely affect the taste of coffee, tea, and other prepared drinks.
- The minerals that are primarily responsible for causing water hardness are magnesium, calcium, and iron.
For more information on this topic, contact Florida Energy Water & Air, an authorized dealer of RainSoft water softening equipment serving the Tampa, FL, area. We will be pleased to provide you with a complimentary water hardness test and explain what options are available to you in terms of water softening. Our water softeners – all from industry-leader RainSoft – are ruggedly built devices that are guaranteed to provide a lifetime of dependable operation.
